Why all the hate for team USA?

[Pathetic Shark]

Yes, we can see you're loving every second of it and seem to be having a life-changing experience over being able to rub it in as much as possible.

You know what I was expecting this morning, Bob? Many, many threads and posts of thoughtful analysis on where you go from here.

You know what I got? A thousand excuses and NOT ONE going anywhere near the elephant in the room. NOT ONE. So yeah, I'm loving it. Man up and have some honesty about the shambolic state you've got yourself in and I'll be more constructive, but until you do, don't expect any sympathy from me.

This result has been coming FOR YEARS. This is a watershed moment for you - I suggest you treat it as such and leave the excuses behind.

But that hasn't helped you come up with an explanation for why the Euro players WON'T match up individually for twice as much or much more money in a real match.

To his credit Darren Appleton did match up with Shane recently (and lost):
http://www.pool-trax.net/Games/MatchDetails.aspx?Mid=1199

Darren's a great player and he deserves credit for stepping up to the plate. It's a shame there wasn't more money in the mix but in this case it appears they were paid to play for mostly rep.

Who cares? Excuses.

 

[Pathetic Shark]

13 short/short matches don't magically = 1 lo-o-ng match. That's nonsense. One ball slopped in and a 9 on the break can make the match as in the Shane/Mika match. That isn't even really pool. It's a dog and pony show.

Then why does team USA keep losing? Man, they must be due.

I hear the same excuses when Shane (yet again) fails to land the big tournaments.

I'm sure your luck will change.

 

[dkleather]

Yes, we can see you're loving every second of it and seem to be having a life-changing experience over being able to rub it in as much as possible.

But that hasn't helped you come up with an explanation for why the Euro players WON'T match up individually for twice as much or much more money in a real match.

To his credit Darren Appleton did match up with Shane recently (and lost):
http://www.pool-trax.net/Games/MatchDetails.aspx?Mid=1199

Darren's a great player and he deserves credit for stepping up to the plate. It's a shame there wasn't more money in the mix but in this case it appears they were paid to play for mostly rep.

Possibly they don't have the backers. Let's not kid ourself it's not lesser ability or talent. Also, let's not hide behind hypothetical money match results when we have ACTUAL tournament results to allow is to determine who are the better players.

"Stepping up to the plate" generally equates to finding a sugar daddy, no more, no less. Rare is the pool player who fronts up to a match funding himself.

 

[dkleather]

I dispute that tournament formats truly determine the more skilled player. They are an estimation, at best, with a good degree of marginal error.



Yes, that is true. It's a shame that no one can drum up a mere $20,000 - $50,000 dollars from all the Euro-supporting pool fans in the world to front one of their UNBEATABLE players, isn't it? I can't quite figure out why because I see much more than that being bet in my local pool room in the US. My mind keeps returning to the terms "crisis of confidence" and "all mouth but no money".

You seriously think a tournament is a lesser test than a one off match? You are entitled to your opinion.

I am envious of the level of gambling in your local pool room, can you tell me who the last five matches for more than $50,000 involved?

 

[Philthepockets]

I dispute that tournament formats truly determine the more skilled player. They are an estimation, at best, with a good degree of marginal error.



Yes, that is true. It's a shame that no one can drum up a mere $20,000 - $50,000 dollars from all the Euro-supporting pool fans in the world to front one of their UNBEATABLE players, isn't it? I can't quite figure out why because I see much more than that being bet in my local pool room in the US. My mind keeps returning to the terms "crisis of confidence" and "all mouth but no money".

The psychology of this argument is about as juvenile as it gets, maybe that's why it's the go to here on AZ.
You make an assumption based on a scenario that you know will never happen that the US has the better players and this must be true because no one is taking you up on on your bet, wow

 

[Pathetic Shark]

I dispute that tournament formats truly determine the more skilled player. They are an estimation, at best, with a good degree of marginal error.



Yes, that is true. It's a shame that no one can drum up a mere $20,000 - $50,000 dollars from all the Euro-supporting pool fans in the world to front one of their UNBEATABLE players, isn't it? I can't quite figure out why because I see much more than that being bet in my local pool room in the US. My mind keeps returning to the terms "crisis of confidence" and "all mouth but no money".

There is a cultural divide here, Bob. Many Europeans, myself included, believe it to be classless to use money as a mechanism to leverage respect. That game is loaded in favour of who has the most of it, and the least to lose.

We just don't care that much about money, sorry. Bragging rights have currency as well, you know?

 

[Pathetic Shark]

I assume that's why you are concurrently, in another thread, asserting that pool players not changing to snooker where they can make much more money is proof that they can't (genetically, no less) ever be as good as English and European players. You're a two-faced troll.

Lol. Dear me, you do enjoy your spin - or should I say chasing your own tail?

Elephant in the room. Put your money where your mouth is.

Over what? I don't gamble but I'll break the habit of a lifetime and bet an American will not win the snooker world championships in my lifetime. The way it's going for you guys, you might not win a POOL world championships, either.

Elephant, is indeed, firmly in the room. Have you got the balls to cull it, Bob? Or are you just going to endlessly trump?

 

[dkleather]

Explain why it ISN'T a lesser test.



I'm not keeping a diary and I'm usually at my local room at hours when matches AREN'T taking place but I have watched matches here for $250,000. $5,000- $15,000 matches aren't uncommon. I sometimes ask who they are if I don't recognize them and sometimes I don't. Appleton matched up with Hatch here for $40,000. I didn't say that was happening 24 hours a day.

The basic point is why can't Europe come up with some cash for ONE money game? Darren did, to his credit.

I don't have any explaining to do. I'm not the one putting forward hypothetical situations to defend players who cannot win in real situations.

I don't know the reason why no Europeans are getting involved in money games, I am certainly not going to jump to the conclusion that it's because they can't win. If I did that I'd be putting an imaginary thought into the head of an imaginary player who was ducking an imaginary match.

 

[dkleather]

Lol. Dear me, you do enjoy your spin - or should I say chasing your own tail?



Over what? I don't gamble but I'll break the habit of a lifetime and bet an American will not win the snooker world championships in my lifetime. The way it's going for you guys, you might not win a POOL world championships, either.

Elephant, is indeed, firmly in the room. Have you got the balls to cull it, Bob? Or are you just going to endlessly trump?

Nobody's going to take that bet, the cream of American talent can't beat a combination of non money players and failed snooker players at pool. How are they going to beat actual snooker players at snooker?

 

[JumpinJoe]

There is a cultural divide here, Bob. Many Europeans, myself included, believe it to be classless to use money as a mechanism to leverage respect. That game is loaded in favour of who has the most of it, and the least to lose.

We just don't care that much about money, sorry. Bragging rights have currency as well, you know?

Never seen a landlord accept bragging rights for rent. And most pool PROFESSIONALS never ever own their own place.

That's very laughable. They better learn to gamble real soon, before they are sitting around the rooms at z60 years old with no insurance nor income, because they won't gamble.

They don't gamble because they can't fade the heat, heartless. That's the reason.
DAZ folded like a cheap tent in an exhibition on tar, where he bet ZERO, got forbid he invested $200 of his own on a match. Lmao

 

[Kimmo]

That's very laughable. They better learn to gamble real soon, before they are sitting around the rooms at z60 years old with no insurance nor income, because they won't gamble.

Gambling is the retirement-plan for pool-players? You serious? Most people with a half a brain-cell realize that pool will never make you rich. Gamble all you will but, it will not make you rich...the pots are too small. Now poker....perhaps as there are enough multi-MILLION $ tournaments in a world every year that will allow the pros to make enough money to put something aside, but pool....no way!

They don't gamble because they can't fade the heat, heartless. That's the reason.
DAZ folded like a cheap tent in an exhibition on tar, where he bet ZERO, got forbid he invested $200 of his own on a match. Lmao

You seriously have no clue do you?
Ever considered the possibility that entire attitude towards our game is completely different in Europe. Pool at the higher levels is very definitely considered a sport by the playing populace. With that comes certain attitudes towards the game. After all you do not see in the US high-school footballers hustle up before a game either to negotiate odds and sidebets do you? In Europe it is also illegal ..it still happens but nowhere at same levels as in the US.
You calling Euro-players as heartless is just BS. You base this on a fact that Euro-players do not gamble as much (because they have never grown up in a system where that would have taken place at those levels) and because Daz lost a game on TAR against the best US could offer? No discussion whether he had a bad day (like any of us do at times) or the fact that on that time SvB beat him fair and square....just like everyone else it happens you know. Or are you claiming now that Earl lost to Karl because he had no heart. I dare you say that to his face.

So I am afraid I have to state that I disagree with most you said. In other words, you Sir, are full of it!